Ran away from the Dutch

by M. T. H. Perelaer

Bapa Andong, not being able to explain the emotion of his companions, instead of seeing danger, saw certain help from those canoes in the event of the reappearance of the Poenans. He therefore, assisted by his son, cried out lustily three times, “Come this way, quick! ahoy!”

The reader will certainly have divined who had brought those canoes into the lake. It was Damboeng Papoendeh, whom he saw depart from Kwala Kapoeas and who now appeared on the scene. The young chief in his intense eagerness had set out for soengei Mantangei, and had employed the utmost expedition in his pursuit of the deserters. There he had heard of the struggle with the snake and the subsequent firing at the male inhabitants and became convinced that the fugitives had sailed up the Mantangei in order to reach the Doesson.

Although inclined at first to disbelieve this statement, the people were so positive and circumstantial that he could not doubt further. He therefore resolved to sail for the same destination.

After travelling on the Mantangei for a whole day he arrived at a small kampong called Takisan. Here he was obliged to stop in consequence of the place being under the ban of the maroetas.

Maroetas means unclean, and a house, a village, or even a whole district may be proscribed and pronounced unclean in consequence [[125]]of being the scene of death, infectious disease or any contaminating influence. When a house has become maroetas it is simply closed and the ladder removed from it. Its inhabitants dare not leave it nor may they receive visitors. If a village or district has become maroetas all its roads and pathways are blocked and may not be opened under penalty of death.

Thus it happened that Damboeng Papoendeh found the soengei Mantangei closed by a double rattan cable, the ends of which were guarded on shore by armed men. He knew that force would be useless here, so he at once gave orders for the route to be reversed, his canoes were turned around and the backward journey commenced with the utmost speed. In order to make up for lost time they rowed onwards night and day without intermission, until they arrived in the neighborhood of lake Ampang. Here they rested, wholly unconscious of their proximity to the objects of their pursuit.

The wind was blowing hard from the north-west and considerably impeded and endangered their journey; Damboeng Papoendeh was therefore obliged to give way to the remonstrances of his men and consent to pass the rest of the night moored in one of the creeks. After this repose he intended to proceed to kotta Baroe with all possible despatch to seek news of the fugitives. His plan was to row past them and by lying in ambush further on capture them easily, with the assistance of the natives. The plan seemed very feasible and its simplicity might have given him every chance of success, but for an accident which intervened and upset all his calculations.

It might have been about three in the morning when suddenly [[126]]a piercing lēēēh lèlèlèlèlè ouiiiit was heard very close by, coming from a westerly direction. This was followed by a sharp rifle fire. Damboeng now knew that the men he was seeking were near and fighting either with the inhabitants of the kampong, as had been the case at soengei Mantangei, or with head-hunters, who might be expected to infest this locality.

The night was passed in intense impatience, and as soon as daylight appeared he perceived the mouth of the canal leading to the lake. He was now positive that the drama played on the preceding night must have taken place there and he did not lose a moment in speeding in that direction.

Nothing remarkable or suspicious was found in the channel; but upon arriving at the lake they saw far away on the eastern shore a large raft covered by rattan trusses, whose occupants seemed to invite them to approach, their cry being distinctly audible.